OWEA Collection Systems Workshop
07/23/2020

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2020 Technical Conference & Expo
08/31/2020- 09/03/2020

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OWEA Plant Operations and Lab Workshop
11/18/2020- 11/19/2020

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OWEA Biosolids Workshop
12/02/2020

Ohio Water
Environment Association
info@ohiowea.org
614.488.5800
Twitter: @Ohio_wea
LinkedIn: OWEA

OWEA knows that the COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges for our members. We want to help! We are is excited to announce a monthly free live webinar for our members. These webinars will offer one contact hour at absolutely no cost to our members and at a reduced cost to non members.
 
July 14, 2020
2 pm
Webinar - An Examination into Collection System Inspection Methods and How to Obtain the Data Needed for Your Projects
Speaker – Dianne Sumego of dms water solutions
Registration coming soon!


August 5, 2020
10 am
Webinar – Utility Financial Strains and Challenges Resulting from COVID-19
Speaker – Doug Baldassari of Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, LLC
Registration coming soon!

As Americans, the Ohio Water Environment Association mourns and condemns the senseless and tragic killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery along with many others in our Black communities.
 

As an association of water professionals dedicated to protecting our most precious resource of water, we pledge the following:

• We will engage in uncomfortable conversations that bring issues of racism, implicit bias and bigotry to the forefront.
• We recognize that communities of color and lower socioeconomic status have been the most heavily affected by pollution, lack of funding and other issues that plague our water environment.
• We will work to transform systems of inequality both in the wastewater sector and in our communities.
• We will continue to treat all of our members and the communities they serve equally.
• We will work towards aiding in creating a more diverse sector of water professionals who represent and look more like the communities they serve.

We ask you to support and join us on this journey. Together we can ensure everyone has an equitable place as a Water Warrior.


Link to Statement

We have heard from many of you that you are eager to get back to seeing and learning from each other in person. We are also looking forward to seeing you – SAFELY. OWEA is slated to restart our in person workshops on July 23 at the Embassy Suites in Dublin, Ohio. We want you to know what to expect, so you can make an informed choice regarding attendance.
 
This workshop will look different. While it is impossible to eliminate all risk associated with COVID-19, we are working hard to ensure as safe an experience as possible. Here are some of what we are planning in partnership with the Embassy Suites:

• Attendance will be limited to 75 people to maintain social distancing.
• OWEA staff and hotel staff will be wearing masks and in some cases face shields during the event.
• We highly encourage attendees to wear masks and OWEA will provide masks during events. Masks are the best way to keep everyone safe when we are around each other.
• Hand sanitizer will be provided by both the venue and OWEA.
• We ask that you take your temperature before heading out to the workshop and that you stay at home if they don’t feel well or have a temperature.
• We will have lots of signage and explanations of correct social distancing measures.
• The ballroom we are in normally holds more than 200 people, so it will be very spread out with only 75 attendees.
• Communal meals will look different, with seating more spread out and fewer seats at tables.
• Food service will look different. Buffets will be served, and you might see many more individual items.
• There will be markings on the floor to help maintain safe distances between attendees.
• We will be dismissing attendees by row to eliminate a large group during breaks.
• Podiums, microphones and laptops will all be wiped down between speakers.
• We will maintain recommended distances between all attendees, between staff and attendees,  and between speakers and attendees.
• We will be communicating with registered attendees multiple times prior to the event to ensure everyone is comfortable and aware of these changes.

We know not everyone can or wishes to attend in person events and are also working on a 2-3 hour virtual Collections Workshop for our water professionals who aren’t able to join us in person. We want to serve all of our members in the manner they are most comfortable. More information concerning this will be available shortly, so keep an eye on your email!

Interested in being part of the state executive committee? Nominations are being accepted through July 15, 2020 for the positions of WEF Delegate, Secretary-Treasurer and Vice President. If you are interested in one of these positions, send a letter of interest along with a letter of support from your employer to Nominations Chair, Ted Baker.

Many of you need contact hours in order to renew your wastewater or water license this year, and we are here for you in whatever way YOU choose to get hours. Beginning in July, OWEA will be offering a variety of both in person and virtual workshops to allow you to get the hours you need.
 
In addition to state workshops and conference offering both in person and virtual hours, your sections will also be offering virtual contact hours and eventually in person meetings. The four sections are currently planning some great options so keep an eye on our website for updates!

Ohio WARN has received a shipment of cloth masks from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for distribution to water and wastewater facilities and still has masks available. Please read the message below and follow the instructions if you are interested in obtaining cloth masks for utility personnel.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided the State of Ohio a limited supply of washable, cloth face masks that are available to all Water & Wastewater purveyors of Ohio. OHWARN, in conjunction with Ohio EPA, ORWA, and ORCAP is working to distribute the masks to Ohio Water and Wastewater utilities. Due to the limited number of masks available, distribution is to be allocated at a rate of FIVE (5) face masks per utility full-time employee (FTE) with a cap of 250 FTE. If you are interested in obtaining cloth face masks, OHWARN is asking that you fill out the request form here.